AfriGeneas Slave Research Forum

On this 5th day of January, 1912 at Deponent’s Neomi, County of Madison, State of Alabama, before me N. D. Avis, a special examiner of the Bureau of Pension, personally appeared Annania Parker (Pensioner), who, being by me first duly sworn to answer truly all interrogatories propounded to him during this special examination of aforesaid claim for pension, deposes and says: I am ________years of age; my post office address is Madison, Madison County, Alabama. I live about 4 miles south of Madison.

I am pensioned under the name of John Taylor, on account of service, as a private soldier, in 6a, 26, 137th U.S. Colored Troops. I so served.

My present name is Annanias Parker. I am known here only by that name, I XXXX-act all my business under that name, with the exception of that connected with my pension, and all my children have and known by itXX name parker.

In slavery, I first belonged to a man named Ben taylor and to his brother Asbury Taylor, in Aulauga County, this state. My father gave me the name John Taylor, But, as there was another John on the peace (place), I was called Annanias by the white folks. From the Taylors, I passed into the hands of Lazarus Parker, of Aulauga County. I went from his peace (place) to the war.

I joined the men who made up the 137th Colored at Selma , we went Montgomery, then to Columbus, Georgia. Then to Macon. I was made a soldier in Selma- I don’t know the date or the year. We were armed and given soldier clothes in Macon. We first camped at

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Macon on the other side of the Ocmulgee River, in an old field amongst pieces. (Places?) Then we took of our old clothes and, because they were so lousy, we burned them. We received new blue clothes and we drilled in Woolfork’s old field. We were quarantined there in fly XXXX. We had another camp where we stayed the longest and guarded pieces (places)- that camp was pretty close to a wagonline (I think). I don’t know what that camp was called or what that part of Macon was called. I don’t know the name East Macon, We were at another camp for just a few days.
We were musliaed out at the camp where we were the longest while at Macon. We had fly xxxx that.

I got a certificate of discharge when I was mustered out. I keep that discharge certificate and my pussian certificate (I am thinking physican) in the safe of Mr. David Tiggs in Madison, near here. He calls me Annanias parker but he know that the discharge certificate and the pussian certificate of John Taylor’s belong to me.

After the 137th reached Macon, all of it service as a regiment was performed there. Most of Col. Me and men from other companies went to a place where prisoners had died and were buried. He iniles, I think from Macon down by Albany- I can’t think of the name this prison was, There we placed a fence around where the graves and we fixed up the place. We stayed there about a month. I think. We were taken XXXXX fraces Macon by freight train and we were taken back to Macon in freight cars. We rejoined the regiment in Macon.

Co. Me and another company were marched to Rome, Georgia- that was before we got settled good in Macon. We were taken back to Macon by freight train.

The colonel of the regiment was named Archer. Xhine was a lieutenant colonel but I have forgot

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His name, I don’t remember the name of the Major.

Lin Col 26 there were two white- these white officers, they were captains Roberts , 1st lieutenant Potter, and 2nd Lieutenant UplXXXX.

Captain Roberts was tall, spane, clean face young man. Lieutenant (LT from here on out) Potter was the oldest officers of the company. He was a big tall heavy set man, he had a weary beard on his face, he had lost a part of the thumb of his right hand. Lt UplXXXX was of medium age, he was of medium height but rather heavy. If he had any beard it was only on his chin.

The next officers was colored- was ordinly (ordinary) seargant Winston Wood. He was about medium height, pretty heavy, he w as yellow.

There was Seagants David Robinson, Jake Susiley; coofanals James Brown, Lit Nepollins. Private Aaron Isggett, Bright Sayers, George Collins (flag bearer), Gus Brown, Nelse_______(who died at Macon with small pox).

I can’t think of the name of my buddy.

Bright Sayres was cook. Gus and Jim Brown were the tallest men in the company. One Bak something, a little yellow fellow, was disaboulist man.

George King, of the company, got into a fight and XXXXXined a Lintinant’s wife he was sent to the persitintiary(prison). King belonged to Co CH- not my company.

While we were trained (?) as soldiers, little Murray, a XX-raped Yankee soldier, was hung in the Macon jail.

When we were shooting off the artillery on the Fourth of July, little white soldier was blown down when he was putting a shaving in a cartridge and the gun went off while he was shoving the cartridge in.

Name of the white officers of XX. He went to Andersonoen/ where the prisoners were buried/ and I can’t recall the name of the white officer in charge of us there.

I was born in Autauga County, Alabama.

My age was give in as 31 or 32 when I enlisted the Army. I was measured- my height was 5 feet 9 inches. My color is brown, My eyes and hair were

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Like that of my race.

I have in a picture of myself other than a lead pencil one that my son made. XXXXX has been red other of us.

No one of the company knows that I have used the name of Annanias Parker.

Nelson & Andrew MoolatX of the company knew me before I was a soldier but they are dead- Nelson was not in Co H but in Co A, I think.

Frank Polly who lived some years ago, down about Montogomery somewhere and another man who lived near Polly but whose name I have forgot, beside MoolatX, have seen me since I left the army-XXXX XXXXX in Co H.

My father was John Taylor, my mother was Emily Taylor. Had brothers Alfred, Heoward & Stafford; sisters Joanna, Mealey-Emmely. I had a brother named Poissly, too, also Neal.

My father & mother are dead. Brother Neal lived at Mapleville in the southern part of Alabama. Hes is known as Neal Parker. He saw me after I returned from the Army, and he went to Selma with me when I went to the Army but he wasn’t sound. I don’t know wheather any sister of mine is alive or not. ; Neal is the only brother alive- the only other brother living.

After I left the Army, I went back to my old home in Autauga County, about 10 miles west of Selema, the nearest post office then was called Milton. There were Mr. & Mrs. Lazarus Parker and their sons William & Lazarus. Caesar Parker, colored, is alive time of those that knew me-

Attest- Annanias X Parker (x is his mark)
Virgil Carter Deponent
Harry Candle
Subscribed and sworn to before me this ______day of _________19 , and I certify that the contents were fully made known to deponent before signing.

___________________________

Special Examiner

Deposition A.
Case of John Taylor 6th #819.683.

Pensioner (cont.)
and Tom Parker, too.

I lived there until in 1874 when I moved to this community and I have lived here ever since.

My brother Neal and other colored persons called me John before & up to the time I went to Selma to XXX XXXXX. Mr. & Mrs. Parker called me only Annanias.

Upon my going back there from the Army, I told the people my name was John Taylor baX XXXX called me Annanias Parker- White and colored called me sa.

It was when I was on the Taylor place that the colored folks called me John. After I was taken to the Parker place- about 10 years before I became free- I was called Annanias by white and colored. I don’t know of any of the Taylor folks being alive- XXX any of the colored Taylor ones except Neal & myself. The Taylor place was 20 miles from the Parker one-Autaugaville was about ten miles north from the Taylor place.

When I came home, I came as Annanias Parker. Mr. David Tigg (or Tegg) has known me 15 or so years, Ms. XXXarley Dillard and Mr. Jim Dillard of Trianna. This county have known me ever since I came from Autauga County.

I am worried. My wife’s name is Marindy. She & I became wife and husband in slavery and on the Parker Place. We were married by Preacher Phil Saunders. Marindy and I lived together as wife and husband until I became a soldier, in-XXedialey upon my being discharged from the Army. I went back to Marendy and from that time to this, she and I have lived together. She is now my wife.

I understood the foregoing as it was read by the examiner and it is correct.
Virgil Carter Annania X parker
Harry Candle (his mark)

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Deposition B
Case of John Taylor, 6th, No. 819.683.

On this 5th day of January 1912, at Madison, County of Madison, State of Alabama, before me, N. D. Avis, a Special Examiner of the Bureau of Pensions, personally appeard D. N. Teague, who, being by me first duly sworn to answer truly all interrogatories propounded to him during this special examination of aforesaid claim for pension, deposes and says:

I live in Madison, Alabama. I have lived in this community 22 years.

I have known the colored man Annanias Parker thought the last 21 years. I know him to be a pensioners of the United States, under the name of John Taylor. I have in my